While nuclear talks have been held up by - among other things - Iran's demand to have all sanctions removed immediately, the Islamic regime showed how the current sanctions regime has been unable to punish its economy as it repatriated 13 tons of gold this week.
Iranian officials on Monday announced the transfer by the South African government, which released the gold bullion as part of the sanctions relief agreed on in the November 2013 interim deal reached between world powers and Iran over the latter's controversial nuclear program.
"A sum of 13 tons of gold that had been purchased before and was deposited in South Africa in the past two years and could not be transferred to Iran due to the sanctions...was delivered to the Central Bank of Iran's treasury last night," Iranian Central Bank Governor Valiollah Seif announced, as quoted by the state-run Fars News Agency.
By the newly extended July 7 deadline for a deal next week, Iran will have had nearly $12 billion in assets unfrozen over the course of nuclear talks, reports the Washington Free Beacon on Wednesday citing US State Department figures.
After signing the 2013 interim deal Iran was given $4.2 billion in sanctions relief, and last year US President Barack Obama threw another $2.8 billion to the leading state sponsor of terrorism just to keep it in talks over its nuclear program.
Indicating the failure of sanctions, Iran's GDP grew 3% in 2014, leading experts to warn that the sanctions regime against Iran has not been tight enough to be effective.
Sweetening the pot. Our Kommunis ANC friends in South Africa coming through for the Champ. Evidently the Marikana massacre of 44 striking miners in 2012 has been sufficiently relegated to history. Totalitarian regime professional courtesy? You decide.